Ansel liked mountains, Edward liked women.

jtk · Aug 10, 2018

Ansel liked mountains, Edward liked women. I think we all intuitively know why that was. Don't we?

However I'd simply argue that Ansel's brain was wired one way and Edward's was wired the other. The difference wasn't psychological or even artistic. it was species.

Which are you (demonstrated by your photography)?

Any thoughts?

Maybe this is a scary question.

Theo Sulphate · Aug 10, 2018

jtk said:
Ansel liked mountains, Edward liked women. I think we all intuitively know why that was. Don't we?
...

It seems to me Adams liked to show contrast; Weston liked to show form.

Patrick Robert James · Aug 10, 2018

Weston.

Adams bores me these days. Weston was a far better photographer. Adams was just popular.

hoffy · Aug 10, 2018

Patrick Robert James said:
Weston.

Adams bores me these days. Weston was a far better photographer. Adams was just popular.

Without trying to be controversial, I tend to agree.

Vaughn · Aug 10, 2018

Of course.

From Ted Orland:

BrianShaw · Aug 10, 2018

OK.. that’s great, Vaughn!

Old_Dick · Aug 10, 2018

Vaughn said:
Of course.

From Ted Orland: View attachment 205738

Great cartoon. Looks weird upside down

voceumana · Aug 10, 2018

Ansel took many photos of people, including at least one of Edward Weston. I think his portraits are among his best works and they are excellent. His landscapes are more commonly published. Over the years he printed his images more dramatically, with more contrast--he said so himself, but his earlier images and prints can be quite subtle. I saw a reprint of his Moonrise Hernandez in a book from the 40's or 50's where the sky was medium gray--in later printings this is black.

You should not judge Ansel's work solely by the commonly published images--there is a lot more to his work than that. Some of his color work is very impressive, too.

Here are some of his people photos: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?st=grid&co=manz

jim10219 · Aug 11, 2018

Ansel’s most famous works were about the insignificance of man. Edward’s most famous works were about the significance of man. They probed the same question from two different perspectives. So no, they weren’t that different from each other. In the end, what made them great photographers wasn’t their technique or subject matter, but their unquenchable curiosity. They didn’t fear to explore the unanswerable questions ad nauseam.

RalphLambrecht · Aug 11, 2018

jtk said:
Ansel liked mountains, Edward liked women. I think we all intuitively know why that was. Don't we?

However I'd simply argue that Ansel's brain was wired one way and Edward's was wired the other. The difference wasn't psychological or even artistic. it was species.

Which are you (demonstrated by your photography)?

Any thoughts?

Maybe this is a scary question.

Edward

jtk · Aug 11, 2018

voceumana said:
Ansel took many photos of people, including at least one of Edward Weston. I think his portraits are among his best works and they are excellent. His landscapes are more commonly published. Over the years he printed his images more dramatically, with more contrast--he said so himself, but his earlier images and prints can be quite subtle. I saw a reprint of his Moonrise Hernandez in a book from the 40's or 50's where the sky was medium gray--in later printings this is black.

You should not judge Ansel's work solely by the commonly published images--there is a lot more to his work than that. Some of his color work is very impressive, too.

Here are some of his people photos: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?st=grid&co=manz

I'm a Weston guy. Saint Ansel made some fine portraits, dramatic industrial photos, and used the artificial light of his era quite well. He signed his Artificial Light book for me after I loaded hundreds of pounds of hypo sacks and other stuff into his suburban (travelall?) at Adolph Gasser's San Francisco warehouse. A Minor White student AND a Life Magazine photographer both said Gasser's would be a good place to start toward professional photography.... partially because Saint Ansel shopped there and, of course for the employee discounts. Ansel was a marketeer, Edward not. Minor's students took Zone System previsualization more seriously than Ansel's..maybe. Minor White and even Alfred Stieglitz would be Weston people if they were with us today, with differing personal proclivities.

Eric Rose · Aug 11, 2018

Patrick Robert James said:
Weston.

Adams bores me these days. Weston was a far better photographer. Adams was just popular.

+1 I have always enjoyed Weston's interpretations of his world more than AA's.

Ian Grant · Aug 11, 2018

Eric Rose said:
+1 I have always enjoyed Weston's interpretations of his world more than AA's.

+2. Weston had the best of both worlds, an appetite for the finer things in lfe

Ian

images39 · Aug 11, 2018

Ansel's work will never bore me. I like the work of both photographers, although I could probably stare at Ansel's prints longer. Also, I find that Brett Weston's work resonates more for me than Edward's, although it's difficult to explain why.

Dale

Sirius Glass · Aug 11, 2018

How about O. Link Winston? He was into using artificial lighting only, with everything in focus. Technically very challenging.

I find that I am always interested in photographs by Ed Weston, Ansel Adams and O. Link Winston.

Vaughn · Aug 11, 2018

jtk said:
Ansel liked mountains, Edward liked women. I think we all intuitively know why that was. Don't we?...

One with a technical bent and the other with a sensual bent? Neither one is on the extreme ends of either 'bends', tho close. On a continous line between Adams and EW, I'd say I was 3/4s of the way towards Weston. If I was any closer I would not be on the internet wasting precious creative time.

jtk · Aug 11, 2018

Vaughn said:
One with a technical bent and the other with a sensual bent? Neither one is on the extreme ends of either 'bends', tho close. On a continous line between Adams and EW, I'd say I was 3/4s of the way towards Weston. If I was any closer I would not be on the internet wasting precious creative time.

winger · Aug 11, 2018

Patrick Robert James said:
Weston.

Adams bores me these days. Weston was a far better photographer. Adams was just popular.

+1, mostly. I wouldn't say I'm bored by Adams, but I like other landscape photographers more (John Sexton comes to mind). Though I appreciate how Adams blazed the trail. I feel more from looking at a Weston image.

And I agree with Vaughn (post #5).

slackercrurster · Aug 11, 2018

OP, too deep for me. Both shot what they liked and were good at.

RalphLambrecht · Aug 11, 2018

Eric Rose said:
+1 I have always enjoyed Weston's interpretations of his world more than AA's.

moose10101 · Aug 11, 2018

jtk said:
Ansel liked mountains, Edward liked women. I think we all intuitively know why that was. Don't we?

However I'd simply argue that Ansel's brain was wired one way and Edward's was wired the other. The difference wasn't psychological or even artistic. it was species.

Which are you (demonstrated by your photography)?

Any thoughts?

Maybe this is a scary question.

Brett

faberryman · Aug 11, 2018

I like some but not all of both Edward Weston and Ansel Adams. I find I like more of Brett Weston. Perhaps because I saw a show of his in 1975, before I had seen shows of Edward Weston or Ansel Adams. Brett's prints are stunning, and just clicked with me.

Vaughn · Aug 11, 2018

winger said:
...Though I appreciate how Adams blazed the trail...

Excellent. And it would be interesting to know how AA would have progressed and grown if he not put so much time and effort into teaching and organizing/being part of groups like F64 and then Friends of Photography. "Distractions" EW did not take on. Partly because of AA's non-image-making work in photography we are able to know and appreciate EW.

Arklatexian · Aug 12, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
How about O. Link Winston? He was into using artificial lighting only, with everything in focus. Technically very challenging.

I find that I am always interested in photographs by Ed Weston, Ansel Adams and O. Link Winston.

It seems to me that all three men spent plenty of time "setting-up" their subjects and tripped the shutter at just the right time, then threw the ones away that were not "right". They did not stumble onto a subject, "hand holding" a camera. All three made good use of tripods, and knew (no pun intended) their subject matter. Maybe a good tripod is just as important (or even more important) than a "great lens". O. Link Winston frequently used several different formats and cameras on the same shot and all were mounted on some sort of stable mount.......Regards!

hoffy · Aug 12, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
How about O. Link Winston? He was into using artificial lighting only, with everything in focus. Technically very challenging.

I find that I am always interested in photographs by Ed Weston, Ansel Adams and O. Link Winston.

O. Link Winston - now he is someone I am very interested in. I personally think he should get more credit then his is given for his work.

Ansel liked mountains, Edward liked women.

Attachments

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency